Mister Misery: Crafting The Perfect Horror Punk Legacy

Shock rock and horror metal have changed a lot since the subgenres beginnings since the days of SCREAMIN JAY HAWKINS in the 1950s. Many artists and bands have followed in his footsteps and made their own staple in the genre, like ALICE COOPER, THE PLASMATICS, and ICE NINE KILLS. More bands like KING DIAMOND and WEDNESDAY 13 have transformed the side of horror metal around by mixing the theatrical elements with metal without making it over the top or ridiculous. The Swedish band, MISTER MISERY, aims to be part of those iconic groups, adding to the discourse of intrinsic and harsh sounds mixed in with amazing music, showcased on their latest album, A Brighter Side Of Death. Hoping to progress on from the foundation built from their debut, Unalive, the band are also looking forward to performing the new tracks once gigs return. As the return of live shows gets ever closer, Distorted Sound spoke with the band about the music, how things have been in Sweden, and if they would ever decide to take part in Eurovision, would they?

“No, no, no, no, no, that’s a big no!” vocalist Harley Vendetta states firmly, even with a smile on his face. “It is kind of like signing a contract! You will go and be banned for life, you will never be taken seriously ever again.” Drummer Rizzy adds, noting that many bands who are on the show are often forgotten very soon after it ends. “MISTER MISERY, the awesome kind of metal like nu metal, death, fusion out there. We don’t need any kind of label or hearing Graham Norton talking about it, you know, we just be ourselves. We don’t need that kind of platform.”

The band originally started back in 2018, relatively young in their lifetime so far. Even so, their debut album, Unalive, showed all that they are capable of right out of the gate, with their explosive and unique style of horror metal. Now, with their new album, A Brighter Side of Death, the band hope to expand on that sound and really show what makes MISTER MISERY themselves. “It’s like Unalive but on steroids,” Rizzy says when asked about the new album. “It is way heavier heavier and thicker and broader and better performance and better production, and in all kinds of ways, we have more elements. Like big and heavy riffs and stronger vocals as well. So I think it’s just a big step up from the previous album.”

“We became better musicians, at the time and also better at mixing and production stuff because we do that shit ourselves too,” bassist Alex Alister adds to the discussion. “We don’t have a fancy studio to go through with someone that helps us with all these things so it’s all made in house, which may be more intimate and more special. It’s a step up from the first one, better songs, better production, better everything.” As the band mentioned have mentioned previously how they are inspired by Danny Elfman and Tim Burton, tracks like The Ballad of the Headless Horseman and Mister Hyde should be no surprise. ”It’s always an underline to incorporate that orchestral things and also doesn’t just lie in the orchestral instruments but it lies in the scales and chords you use to make that shift work, and the arrangements to. I think it comes across. If it doesn’t then we’re doing something wrong.”

With the reception that the band have received online, often comparing them to bands like MOTIONLESS IN WHITE and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, it’s a surprise that the band haven’t played all over the world, mostly just in Europe. They are to support BEAST IN BLACK in London this December, as well as their own dreams of who they would like to tour with. “To open up for acts like AVENGED SEVENFOLD or ROB ZOMBIE or ALICE COOPER, that would be a dream come true,” Harley says, whilst guitarist Alex Nine chimes in, suggesting, “I would have to say MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. I just think that would work with our fan base and stuff. And then all the other four mentioned bands, if we did like a huge tour with the six bands it would be a great move and be a big opportunity for us to tour the States as well.

So, if the band had the chance to change anything about the current state of the music industry? Rizzy had a few ideas. “This might sound counterproductive or something but I would say to remove all the digital platforms and go back to actual CDs and vinyls again. That made it way more special for people buying a CD, sinking their teeth into it. The whole music industry was thriving, the artists made better salaries. So I think a part of me wishes I was born like 30 years earlier so I could be part of that. That scene in that stage, I would say to remove all the digital platforms and go back to physical copies.”

Harley adds in on this, “I wish that record labels, when they sign a band that they like, have to provide some amount of money to the band, or to each of the band members, because it takes up more and more time to do band stuff. Going away for a month means that we can’t work that month on whatever else we do on the side, so we lose money there. I would say that it would maybe be great if the older labels would go in and chip in like ‘okay so that’s your rent at least’. Like if you’d had some sort of safety net for bands and, especially, upcoming bands need that. So maybe if they would somehow, in some dimension, make that into like a record label law that they have to provide that for bands.”

On a final note, what would the legacy of MISTER MISERY look like? Alex Alister has an idea, saying “the whole new album is about legacy. That’s what the title is for the album. We want the album to be about the story of this band and what we went through, through all the years that we will hopefully be touring and playing, which will be until we die and leave behind a positive message. And use it for people to listen through generations of generations, and remember us as the band that kind of instil hope into people that were hopeless. Also, we want to inspire others to play music and feel good in life and go on and to do your own thing. I remember when I saw CHILDREN OF BODOM or PANTERA, those legendary bands, I wanted to do what they did. Then I wanted to be able to play, get inspired to do something, and inspire young kids to do this as well. Pick it. Pick up and just try it out and fight for themselves and their own band.”

A Brighter Side Of Death is out now via Arising Empire.

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